Breaking The Habit
by ShadowOfApate
Summary: Experimental Fic. Willow turns to the Devon Coven for help with her addiction.


Title : Breaking The Habit  
>Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )<br>Rating : R  
>Pairing : WRTM  
>Timeline : Season Six<br>Summary : Willow goes to the Devon Coven when  
>no one else will help her.<p>

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I  
>have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me<br>a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking care  
>of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to<br>write much. But over the last several years  
>I've managed to slowly write on a number<br>of stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and  
>publish what I've managed to put together.<br>The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,  
>the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.<br>Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a  
>different version. Just warning everyone.<p>

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong  
>to Joss Whedon.<p>

00000  
>Prologue<br>00000

She clutched the ringing phone like a life line.  
>Her left leg wouldn't stop moving. Jittering up<br>and down rapidly like a jackhammer.

" Hello? "

" Tara? It's Willow, I need your..."

Click.

The wiccan hung up on her. The blonde hadn't even  
>heard her out, just... hung up.<p>

Willow clicked off the phone, then turned it  
>back on again. She rapidly dialed the next number.<p>

" Hello, this is The Magic Box. How can I help  
>you? " Anya greeted.<p>

" It's Willow. I need you to do a temporary binding  
>on my magic. " She rushed out.<p>

" Look, I don't know what kind of scheme you're  
>trying to pull, but I'm not falling for it, so<br>you can find some other patsy. " Anya hung up.

' Damn. ' Willow sighed, already dialing the  
>last number.<p>

" Rupert Giles. "

" Giles, it's Willows. I need your help. " She  
>tried for the last time.<p>

" Buffy? " The man demanded.

" No, she's fine, everyone else is fine. " She  
>assured him.<p>

" I see. " His voice went frigid. " I'm afraid  
>I have no time for your foolishness. You will<br>just have to deal with whatever mess you've  
>managed to create with your amatuer magical<br>hijinx's. Or as the saying goes, you've made  
>your made, lay in it. "<p>

He slammed the phone on her.

She numbly dropped the cordless on the bed and  
>starred in the full length mirror across from her.<br>For once, she was willing to admit she was wrong,  
>to apoloigize to him. So why wouldn't he listen?<p>

" Hey, problem in Scoobyville? " Amy swayed into  
>the room.<p>

" What are you doing here? " Willow tiredly asked.  
>" I told you to stay away. "<p>

" The door was unlocked. " Amy smirked. " Besides,  
>I didn't think you really meant it. We're old<br>friends. "

" Friends don't take each other to magic dealers.  
>Especially not Warlocks like Rack! " Willow glared.<p>

Rack was bad news. He'd forced his magic on her,  
>and worse, cast a modified sirens spell to keep<br>her coming back. It had taken her two weeks to  
>discover it. Plus, another week to remove it.<p>

" Rack's cool. You should see his collection of  
>books. "<p>

" I think you should leave. "

Amy pivoted on her heals, the pleasant smile she  
>always wore missing, and in it's place was a smirk<br>of dark amusement. Black magic flowed over a small  
>orb the former rat cradled in her left hand, now<br>pointed at her chest.

" You really should have just come back. " Amy said.  
>" But I'm glad you didn't. It's more fun this way. "<p>

Willow was thrown backwards from the bed and into  
>the far wall. The influx of black magic making her<br>scream with agony. Her head pounded as she fought  
>the urge to let it out. To let it have control.<p>

Still it continued to come. It came until blood  
>poured from her nose. Came 'til she could see her<br>veins straining against her skin, and her blood  
>leaked from her nails.<p>

" Don't fight, Willow, and I'll stop. " Amy  
>laughed. " Of course, if you insist... "<p>

She moaned in agony. Spasming and twitching with  
>more power than she could hold. She slammed her<br>head back into the wall over and over. The magic  
>spreading in her body demanding more room and not<br>finding it.

Something had to give. Either her body, or the  
>magic. There was simply no more space.<p>

A large ball of concentrated magic hit her. The  
>force and size of it sending her head into the<br>wall with such force the world momentarily went  
>black.<p>

An explosion filled her mind, with a cataosphe of  
>pops in her ears. Thick, liquid ran from them and<br>she realized it was blood.

The world came back to life and with it reality.  
>Amy stood there with the, now, broken orb.<p>

" Huh. You're stronger than I thought. Oh well,  
>I'll be better prepared next time. " Amy shrugged,<br>then walked out casually. " Later. "

Willow brought her hands up to her ears. Trembling,  
>silent, and truly scared.<p>

She'd heard every word her onetime friend had said,  
>but not with her ears, and yet she had.<p>

The red head struggled to her feet. She couldn't  
>wait around hoping to talk one of the Scoobies<br>into helping her. Not anymore.

She had to get to Devon. To the coven Giles was  
>always talking about. The problem was the magic.<p>

There was too much. Most black and out of control.  
>If she got on a plane like this, it go kabloomy<br>for sure. Not to mention the cab to the airport.

But Anya refused to bind her, and Tara wouldn't  
>talk to her...<p>

She gulped. ' Oh crud. '

Willow opened her closet and kneeled beside the  
>heavy trunk hidden in the back. She made quick<br>work of the combination lock. Opening the lid  
>to her super secret stash.<p>

There, in a wooden box, was the Witch's Maiden.  
>Something Amy had given her the day after Buffy<br>had fought the girls mother.

Willow had spent the next day helping Amy go  
>through Catherine's magic supplies. The blonde<br>had given Willow several things. Including this.

A set of fingerless chainmail gloves coming mid-  
>forearm, and a set of toeless chainmail socks<br>which came up mid-calf.

When worn they would bind a witch's powers.  
>They couldn't be removed except by a special<br>key. It was a method used and created in the  
>dark ages.<p>

She gently pulled out the box, relocking the  
>trunk, and closed the closet. When she kept the<br>Witch's Maiden it had been in case of an  
>emergency.<p>

She'd just never assumed the emergency would be  
>herself.<p>

00000

" She must be taken to the spring. " The seer  
>finally broke the silence after half a day of<br>observing the sick girl.

" Absolutely not. " Ms. Harkness barked from  
>her seat by Willow's bed. " No one has entered<br>the spring in five hundred years. For Goddess's  
>sake, Wren, the last witch to enter went mad. "<p>

" Nevertheless, my vision is true. Willow must  
>be bathed in the spring before our Goddess. "<br>Wren didn't waver.

" Look at her! " She pointed to the sweat soaked  
>skeleton in the twin bed. Her feet, calves, arms,<br>and hands wrapped in blood stained bandages.

Jerking her eyes away from the bandages, she  
>reminded herself to have the thrice damned<br>Witches Maiden's burned. Oh, they were rightly  
>named. Right after the equally damned iron<br>maiden.

" She may never hear again. " She went on.

" It was meant to happen. " Wren smiled gently.  
>" The Goddess has chosen to speak to her, and now<br>she has started to hear her. Unfortunately, the  
>black magic is interfering, and we must correct<br>this. "

Ms. Harkness considered her most powerful seer.  
>She had never doubted the other woman. Not until<br>now. It was just the thought of letting a young  
>woman in Willow's condition risk Gaia's Spring...<p>

" Very well. We will proceed. " She agreed with  
>great reluctance, nodding to the sisters standing<br>guard.

They moved swiftly. Transferring the young addict  
>to a gurney. Then the group walked from the room,<br>through the ancient halls, deep into the  
>underground basement of the coven castle.<p>

She removed a large, brass key from her knee length  
>wool coat, and opened the heavy wood door to the<br>cut stone steps of the spring cave.

The winding stairway was long and slippery. Going  
>down hundreds of feet into the Earth. Natural<br>light came from magic in the walls. A soft golden  
>glow mixed with a rich earthy green.<p>

They stepped off the final step half an hour later.  
>The cavern the size of two foot ball fields. With<br>the cavern floor stretching out across one of them.

Ms. Harkness easily cross the distance, stopping at  
>the waters of the spring. The waters were shallow<br>for the first five feet. Barely a foot deep, and  
>crystal clear. The floor slooped gently into it.<p>

Afterwards, the waters became tinted white. So  
>very hinted at you could see to the bottom of<br>the springs, but could continue to see the  
>white of the water.<p>

It was a majestic, magical sight.

" We're ready. " Orla spoke up.

" Then let's begin, and pray to the Goddess for  
>our sister. " Ms. Harkness watched worriedly.<p>

The two healers, Orla and Sable, stripped the  
>red head of all worldly possesion's. Even her<br>bandages had to be removed.

Then with great care, the two carried her down  
>the sloop, and lowered her into the clear water.<br>They couldn't cross over to the white water,  
>instead Orla, pushed the addict into the deeper<br>white waters, then backed out.

Ms. Harkness flinched as the red head splashed  
>violently with a heartwrenching scream. The<br>white water surrounding her was now black. It  
>would drift away from her to be replaced by<br>more black.

" Goddess. " Leto pressed her fingertips to her  
>lips.<p>

" Relax, sisters. " Wren soothed. " The Goddess  
>has special interest in this child. She will<br>protect her. "

More black was cleaned from Willow. It came  
>faster and faster. The white water surging over<br>the red head, pulling her under the water.

Ms. Harkness stepped forward to the very edge.  
>The white water seemed to instantly become all<br>black, then just as quickly white again.

A soft glow appeared from where Willow had  
>disappeared. Slowly, the red head surfaced, her<br>long hair pure white. The emerald eyes were wide  
>open but the eyes had a milky white film over<br>them.

As the red head floated on her back, Ms. Harkness  
>could see all the wounds were healed, leaving only<br>scars behind from the Witches Maiden's.

" Oh... My... Goddess... " Willow breathed.

And Ms. Harkness smiled.

11111  
>Chapter One<br>11111

Well, this was fun.

She channeled her healing magic into the teens  
>body. The broken bones in her neck cracked<br>unpleasantly while moving back into place. They  
>fused back together. Finally, her magic moved on<br>to her heart. A gentle caress restarted it.

She smiled patiently as the girl opened her eyes,  
>blinking at her in confusion.<p>

" What happened? " She asked. " Wait. Where's the  
>Turok-Han? Who are you? "<p>

" I'm an old friend of the gangs. " She chuckled  
>lightly. " Buffy is currently getting the slayer<br>kicked out of her by it. Now, we should probably  
>go give her a hand. "<p>

She stood up, and helped the potential slayer up.  
>Willow moved around the large shipping trailer.<br>Buffy was defintely over her head.

The Turok-Han was making a joke out of her. The  
>blonde was a bloody mess. Enough of one, Willow<br>was truly scared for her.

With a flick of her wrist, the vampire went  
>flying twenty yards from where her friend lay<br>panting. She raised her hand, palm up, and  
>traced a circle in the air.<p>

The vampire roared, running into a golden  
>shield. It jerked away in pain as it discovered<br>the sun like qualities of it.

" I could kill you. " Willow explained. " But  
>it's for someone else to do. However, if you<br>don't leave, I'm willing to change my mind. "

The uber hissed at her, then disappeared into  
>the shadows of the backgrouned. She let the<br>shield drop, and turned back to Buffy.

The blonde was struggling to sit up. The potential  
>was beside the slayer clearly worried. Willow<br>shook her head in amusement.

" You never learn. " She walked over to the blonde,  
>pushing Buffy back down. " Always getting beat up. "<p>

" I am not. I totally kicked his ass. " Buffy  
>groaned softly. " And where the hell have you been? "<p>

Willow laid her hand on the back of Buffy's neck.  
>She reached deep into the Earth, gently healing<br>her best friend. First, the internal injuries.  
>Second, broken bones. Third, cuts and broken skin.<br>Last, bruises.

" There you go. All healed. " Will beamed.

" Whoa, handy trick. " Buffy sat up easily, then  
>blinked, glancing at the potential. " Hey, how<br>are you alive? "

" I healed her. " Willow explained.

" But... " Buffy frowned.

" She had a broken neck. It was just a matter  
>of fixing it and restarting her heart. "<p>

" Okay, I'm really wanting an explanation now. "  
>Buffy decided.<p>

" It'll have to wait. " Willow stood up. " I have  
>a major case of jetlag, and haven't slept, or had<br>dinner in forever. "

" Food and bed. I can do that. " Buffy hopped to  
>her feet. " Well, if you don't mind a house with<br>a group of potentials. "

" And if I do mind? " She walked lead the two to  
>her suitcase and carry-on case.<p>

" Considering the First Evil is our newest big  
>bad, I don't think you have much choice. " Buffy<br>shrugged.

Willow picked up her luggage, allowing Buffy to  
>take the large suitcase without protest. " I<br>didn't think being a Scooby came with babysitting  
>duty. "<p>

" Imagine how I feel. " Buffy sighed, hooking  
>her arm through Willow's. " First, Halloween,<br>then Dawn, and now... "

Now a bunch of hormonal teenage slayer wannabe's.

How quaint.

11111

Willow dropped her case inside the door next to  
>her suitcase. Glad to see the potential going to<br>sit with two other teens. One, a long haired girl  
>seemed to be checking her out, before turning back<br>to whatever the three were whispering about.

" Look who decided to save the day, and I mean  
>that literally. " Buffy announced to the other<br>Scoobies. " What's her name... "

"...Annebelle. " Dawn supplied.

" was dead for a few minutes there, and I nearly  
>joined her. The Turkish Khan... "<p>

"...Turok-Han. " Giles smiled.

" Right... was so getting medievil on me. "  
>Buffy admitted.<p>

" I thought you said, you were kicking his ass. "  
>Willow nudged her.<p>

" Oh hush. " Buffy slapped her shoulder. " Anyway,  
>Will came swooshing in all superwiccan. I mean,<br>seriously she healed Annie and chased off turkey  
>boy, then she just waved her hand and poof I was<br>all better. "

" It was a little more involved then that Buff. "  
>Will tried correct her friend.<p>

" But the important thing is your back, and you  
>saved her. " Dawn hugged her tightly.<p>

The others crowded around to hug her, and she  
>beamed at the sight of them. Everyone but one.<br>Despite everything, she felt really hurt by the  
>Scooby who had turned away from her when she<br>needed them the most.

Ignoring the weary Tara for the moment, she  
>approached Giles. The man was in the corner<br>watching her with his glasses hanging from his  
>left hand and a book open in his right.<p>

" Giles..."

" Willow, while I'm glad to see you, we really  
>should... "<p>

She lashed out with a right cross. Her fist  
>getting him in the jaw with every bit of power<br>her body could put into it.

He crashed to the floor. Staring up at her in  
>pain and confusion.<p>

" Bastard! " She said.

" Okay, am I missing something? " Xander asked.

" Well obviously. " Anya nodded.

" Okay, forget sleeping and food, I'm really  
>wanting that explanation. Now! " Buffy stared<br>incrediblously.

" Oh yeah. " Xander nodded furiously.

" If it leads to why she's punching Gile's out,  
>then I agree. " Anya peaked over at the man<br>still sprawled out.

" Wow, can you teach me how to do that? " Dawn  
>innocently inquired.<p>

" No! " Came the group answer.

" Fine. " Dawn muttered, heading towards Willow's  
>old laptop.<p>

-  
>To Be Continued <p>


End file.
